Thinking to Believe

I present the reasons that have convinced the vast majority of historians that Jesus was buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea and why this historical fact is significant. I also address other matters related to Jesus' burial, including the location of Jesus' tomb, the rolling stone that covered the tomb, how long Jesus was in the tomb, and whether the guard at the tomb was Roman or...

The first line of historical evidence for Jesus' resurrection is Jesus' death by crucifixion. In addition to providing the evidence that has convinced virtually all historians of this fact, I also explore the nature of crucifixion, how it killed its victims, the shape of the cross, the date of Jesus' crucifixion, and more.  Web: ThinkingtoBelieve.com Email: ThinkingToBelieve@gmail.c...

Some claim that there's no evidence that Jesus even existed, or that the evidence we have is less than compelling. Nothing could be further from the truth. I provide a number of reasons to think Jesus was a real historical person, including what is recorded about Him in early, non-Christian sources. Not only do non-Christians take it for granted that Jesus existed, but also provide informatio...

Even if it's true that Jesus rose from the dead, so what? It may be odd. It may be amazing. But why should it matter to me? What's the significance of Jesus' resurrection from the dead? I lay out nine reasons that Jesus' resurrection changed the world, and ought to change your life.  Web: ThinkingtoBelieve.com Email: ThinkingToBelieve@gmail.com Facebook: facebook.com/thinkingto...

I've started a new series on the historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus. In this first episode, I rehearse the various topics I'll cover in the series and talk about a historical approach to the resurrection of Jesus. Christianity is based on certain historical events, and and to the degree that those events can be verified or falsified, Christianity can be verified or falsifi...

In this final episode in my Political Theology series, I argue that our approach to voting ought to be to make a moral difference, not just a moral statement. As such, we should not vote for third parties or stay home on Election Day. I also make the case that Christians should still vote for Trump and the Republican Party despite the steps both have taken recently away from moral conservatism.  W...

God takes positions on moral issues. Political parties also take positions on moral issues. As such, God takes sides when it comes to politics. All political parties fail to represent God’s point of view on certain issues, but they don’t all fail equally. God is on the side of the party that will best fulfill His purpose for government: justice. That’s why our vote is morally significant. We must...

It's common knowledge that "you can't (or shouldn't) legislate morality," but in reality, this is a common misunderstanding. Morality is all that you should legislate. The only question is whose morality will be legislated. It would be religious discrimination and anti-democratic to exclude the voices of Christians simply because they are religious.  When we vote, our vote...

Does the First Amendment require a strict wall of separation between the government and the people? No. It was intended to prevent the federal government from establishing a national religion or disestablishing any state religion, and to prevent the federal government from interfering in the religious beliefs and expressions of individual citizens.  Web: ThinkingtoBelieve.com Email: ThinkingToBeli...

Many have claimed that America was founded as a secular nation. Nothing could be further from the truth. Not only were our Founding Fathers deeply religious, but they expressed their religion publicly and their Christian religion deeply informed the principles on which this nation was built. Contrary to the claims of those who wish to rewrite American history, most Founding Fathers were orthodox o...

Government was God's idea. It's an institution He created to promote justice in human societies. As such, good government requires the participation of the just. Even God is involved in government. He sets up kings and kingdoms, and brings them down. There is no wall between politics and religion. There is a relationship between the two, but we must understand what that relationship is i...

In this final episode of the series, I answer objections to the wisdom model of decision making and respond to verses that are commonly used in support of the Spirit-led model.  Web: ThinkingtoBelieve.com Email: ThinkingToBelieve@gmail.com Facebook: facebook.com/thinkingtobelieve Twitter & Gettr: @thinking2believ Truth: @ThinkingToBelieve Parler: @thinkingtobelieve

In this episode, I apply the wisdom model of decision making to ministry and marriage, showing how Biblical principles and wisdom should guide us in our ministry and choosing a spouse.  Web: ThinkingtoBelieve.com Email: ThinkingToBelieve@gmail.com Facebook: facebook.com/thinkingtobelieve Twitter & Gettr: @thinking2believ Truth: @ThinkingToBelieve Parler: @thinkingtobelieve

I provide a number of Biblical examples demonstrating that most decisions are to be made in light of wisdom, not divine revelation. Then, I provide some principles for decision making, talk about how to obtain wisdom, and offer some clarifications regarding the wisdom model.  Web: ThinkingtoBelieve.com Email: ThinkingToBelieve@gmail.com Facebook: facebook.com/thinkingtobelieve Twitter & Gettr:...

When God speaks, how does He speak? There are five Biblical characteristics of divine revelation: (1) It was rare; (2) It came to those who were not seeking it; (3) It was clear; (4) It was supernatural in nature; (5) It often went against the dictates of wisdom.  Web: ThinkingtoBelieve.com Email: ThinkingToBelieve@gmail.com Facebook: facebook.com/thinkingtobelieve Twitter & Gettr: @thinking2b...

In part 2 of my series on Simplifying God's Will, I examine the Biblical data on God's will. I argue that the Bible teaches God's will for our lives is more general in nature, primarily related to our moral growth; not who we marry, what career we choose, etc. While God can have a specific will regarding some aspects of our lives, it is rare, and God will make that known to us in a...

I'm starting a 6-part series on finding the will of God. In episode 1, I compare and contrast the two models of God's will, and argue that only one is based in Scripture. Web: ThinkingtoBelieve.com Email: ThinkingToBelieve@gmail.com Facebook: facebook.com/thinkingtobelieve Twitter & Gettr: @thinking2believ Truth: @ThinkingToBelieve Parler: @thinkingtobelieve

In this miscellany episode, I exegete two passages in 1 Corinthians 3. I argue that when Paul warns people about the way they are building (with gold, silver, and precious stones vs. wood, hay, and straw), he is not talking about individual Christians' spiritual development. He is talking about the way in which ministers in Corinth were ministering to the body of Christ. Some of their efforts...

I finish up the existential argument by showing how atheism cannot, but theism can satisfy our deep longing for objective morality, free will, immortality, and love. I end the podcast by providing a real life example of how an atheist came to Christianity, in part, because she realized that only Christianity could satisfy her existential needs.  Web: ThinkingtoBelieve.com Email: ThinkingToBelieve@...

My final argument for God's existence is a version of the existential argument. I argue that our existential longings can only be explained by and fulfilled by a theistic God: the desire for meaning and purpose in life, objective morality, immortality, free will, and love. People must either (1) believe there is a God who can fulfill our deepest longings or (2) believe there is no God and tha...

I wrap up my discussion of Aquinas' Five Ways by examining both his Fourth and Fifth Ways.  The Fourth Way demonstrate that the grades of perfection we observe in the world can only be explained by the existence of a maximally perfect being.  The Fifth Way demonstrates the existence of an intelligent being who guides everything towards their natural ends. Web: ThinkingtoBelieve.com Email: Thi...

For his Third Way, Thomas Aquinas argues that the existence of contingent beings can only be explained by the existence of a necessary being whose essence is identical to His existence. Web: ThinkingtoBelieve.com Email: ThinkingToBelieve@gmail.com Facebook: facebook.com/thinkingtobelieve Twitter & Gettr: @thinking2believ Truth: @ThinkingToBelieve Parler: @thinkingtobelieve

For his Second Way, Thomas Aquinas argues that a causal series can only be explained by a first, uncaused cause who is the source of all causation. In a related argument - the existential proof - Aquinas argues that things whose essence is distinct from their existence can only be explained by a being whose essence and existence are identical; i.e. a being who just is existence itself.  Web: Think...

I started my exploration of Thomas Aquinas' Five Ways, beginning with his First Way - the argument from motion. Aquinas argues that only God can explain why things change. Change can only be explained by a First, Unmoved Mover; i.e. a Being who is the ultimate source of all change, but is itself not changed by anything. Web: ThinkingtoBelieve.com Email: ThinkingToBelieve@gmail.com Facebook: f...

The current legal situation regarding abortion law in Arizona has revealed a strategic divide among pro-lifers. All pro-lifers want to make abortion unthinkable in this country, but disagree as to the best way of achieving that end. Abolitionists take an all-or-nothing approach, while incrementalists attempt to end abortion in a series of multiple steps. I argue that the incremental approach is th...